Amusement apparatus



April 13 1-926. ;f1=,5s0,4. o

D. s. 'WILL'EFQRD AMUSEMENT APPARATUS Filed Oct. 6, 1922 I 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Inwntov.

DAV/a S. Mu :FOnb

D. S. WILLEFORD AMUSEMENT APPARA'I US Apr Filed Oct. 6, 1922 5 Sheets-Shasta Inventor, 04 we J Wu: {r000 April 13 1926'. .4 4 1,580,460

D. s. WILUEFORD AMUSEMENT APPARATUS Patented Apr. 13, 1926.

UNITED PA' TIENT *QE FWC 'nA-vm s. wr-Lmironn, or A LAMEDA, CALIFORNIA.

: AMUSEMENT APPARATUS.

Application filed Oc'tobe r s, 1922. Serial No. 592,802.

'ticular object is to provide "a device 'of'the character described to be erected on fair grounds or the like for the purpose of giving to the persons using the device the sensation of flying in an airship; 'It is proposed to provide a structure resembling in its general out-lines an airship andtoprovide certain features in combination with this device adapted to imitate the sensation experienced by a person riding in the carriage o f an airship, the principal features being a motion picture arrangement adapted to exhibit in front of the passengers views sucl'i as would ordinarily be seen by the passenger of an airship, the providing of sliding curtains along the sides of the carriage holding the passengers adapted to create in the passengers'a sensation of fast forward motion, the providing of means for causing the carriage to rise and fall alter nately and other arrangements as will ap pear from the description of the device.

)Vith these objects in view I have shown the preferred form of the invention in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 shows a front. View of my device with the front screen removed so as to allow a clear 1 view throughout the structure, Figure 2 a top plan view of the structure *ith the cover of the same removed, and Figure 3 a side elevation of the same with the side of the structure partly removed so as to ture as shown in Figure 3 so as to leave ample space underneath thesa'me for the accommodation "of the car heeina fte1.'

described and which is provided at its rear end with a propeller 1-) adapted to be driven by a motor (6),the propeller ser' ing the-purposeof attracting attention. A track ("7) is provided in the frainestructure aindextends rearwardiy'of the same through a distance substantially equal to the length of the track inside the frame structure. At

its front end the track terminates in =a curved portion (8) adapted to seri-"o as "a bumper. v p f.

'lh'is'tra'ck is adapted to accommodate the truck s ugported in any suitable manner on the wheels ('11). This truc-lccan' be moved forwardly and' liackwartll'y on the track by means of a drum (12') over wl'i'ic'h runs the cable secured 'to the rear end 'of'thetruck as shown at (1 l and to the front end as shown at (16"); the front end of the cable being guided over a pulley (17) provided in the front end of the frame structure. It will be seen that if the drum is rotated the truck will be moved over the track either forwardly or rearwardly according to the direction of rotation of the drum. The drum is rotated by means of a motor (18) driving a shaft (19) from which power is transmitted through the belt to a parallel shaft 22) which latter has the drum mounted thereon. (he drum is preferably controlled from the inside of the structure by means of a. hand wheel on the shaft which latter has a sprocket wheel (26) thereon over which passes a chain (27) guided by additional sprockets (28) and engaging a clutch member (29) of any suitable design on the shaft.

The floor (31) of the car is preferably of the same dimensions as the top plate (32) of the truck and'is supported on the same in such a manner that a rolling motion may be brought about. vide a central longitudinal shaft adapted to be rotated by means of a motor (34:) and provided ith two worms (36) engaging worm gears (37) on transverse shafts (38). The latter shafts are provided with eccentric wheels each of which supports a pair of rollers (41) provided underneath the floor of the car. -It will be seen that when the shaft is rotated the transverse shafts (38) will'also rotate For this purpose I pro-- and will cause the floor of the car to alternately rise and fall due to the engagement of the eccentric Wheels (89) with the rollers (41). To prevent lateral displacement of the floor relative to the truck I provide guide members (42) extending downwardly from the floor and riding in slots (43) in the top plate of the truck. Benches (n of any suitable design are provided on the fioor to accommodate the passengers. A platform (46) extends along each side of the car on the same level as the floor of the car in the structure as well as outside and the outside portion is provided with suitable steps (4:7) allowing the passengers to board the car.

In the front of the car so as to be viewed by the passengers on the same is provided a motion picture screen L8) on which suitable pictures may be thrown by the motion picture apparatus (49) mounted preferably in the rear end of the balloon-like structure. Lateral screens (51) serve to exclude everything else from the view of the passengers.

Along the sides of the car 1 provide screens (52) and behind the same moving curtains (53). The latter are supported on two rollers (54) one of which may be moved relative to the other so as to tighten the curtain by means of the take up boxes (56). The curtains are illustrated with appropriate pictures and are moved in a direction opposite to that of the car so as to create the sensation of fast travel. The mechanism for operating the curtains is shown in Figure 1 from wiich it appears that a transverse shaft (5'?) is rotated by a motor (58) and provided at either end with a bevel gear (59), the latter meshing with bevel gears (61) on the vertical shafts (62) supporting one of the rollers (54) on which the curtains are supported.

Behind the side curtains (63) in front of the car so as to be hidden from view 1 provide electrical fans (64) which cause an air current passing from the front to the rear and intensifying the sensation of travel. An atmosphere projector may be placed in front of the car in a foot-light arrangement for the purpose of throwing clouds or other scenic effects on the motion picture screen,

I claim:

As an advertising means for an amusement device creating in a closed structure the illusion of travel, a body projecting outside of the structure resembling the front portion of an airship, the said body being mounted relative to a carriage conducting passengers into the closed structure in simulation of a customary arrangement of an airship relative to its carriage.

DAVID S. VILLEFORD. 

